Abstract

A kinetic approach is used to derive the numerical coefficients multiplying ponderomotive terms in the relations of current flow, energy flow, heat flow, and electron pressure tensor, and in the source terms of the self‐generated magnetic field. Laser interaction with a collision‐dominated plasma having Z≳≳1 is considered. In the moment equations, the ponderomotive contributions to the momentum transfer and energy transfer are also evaluated. General expressions are obtained, valid for an arbitrary form for the time‐averaged isotropic part of the electron velocity distribution function. For a Maxwellian distribution, the results on transport and magnetic field generation are compared with others, and the differences are explained.